The present invention is directed toward a support for a refracting instrument and more particularly toward a support arm which allows an ophthalmic refracting instrument to be slid between a remote inoperative position and an operative position wherein it is positioned in front of a patient.
Refracting instruments are used by ophthalmologists, optometrists and other eye care specialists to help determine the condition of a patient's eyes and eyesight and assist the doctor in determining the amount and nature of corrections that need be made. One such refracting instrument commonly used is known as the Phoroptor manufactured by American Optical Corporation of Southbridge, Mass.
Conventionally, refracting instruments are mounted at the end of a horizontally disposed refracting arm which, in turn, is pivotally mounted to a vertical pole which is positioned to the side of the patient's chair. The refracting instrument is brought into the operative position where it is directly in front of the patient's eyes by the doctor reaching out to his side where the instrument is in its inoperative position and swinging the refracting instrument and the support arm in a circular arc around the pole until the refracting instrument is in its proper position. After the refracting instrument has been utilized, the doctor then reverses this procedure and swings the instrument and support arm back through the circular arc around the pole to the inoperative position.
While these conventional support arms have been somewhat useful, they do have several disadvantages. They require a great deal of space since they are moved in an arcuate direction. Thus, no other instruments or furniture or the like can be located in the path of movement of the refracting instrument and support arm. Furthermore, the inoperative position into which the refracting instrument is moved very often cannot be reached by the doctor when he is sitting in his chair opposite the patient. Thus, it is necessary for the doctor to stand up to retrieve the refracting instrument when he desires to use the same. Even further, the refracting instrument is not always easily brought into its proper position in front of the patient. Because of the manner in which it is moved, the instrument is not always parallel to the patient's eyes nor to the chart which is to be viewed by the patient through the refracting instrument.